Bring On the Heat

For more than 30 years, Metro Times has been Detroit's weekly alternative for news, arts, culture, film, food, fashion and more. A loyal readership exceeding 700,000 fans seek out MT every week to find out who to see, what to...

From the vintage-looking, low-budget album art to the vintage-sounding, low-budget grooves within, Daptone's modus operandi has been to evoke the thrill of finding ancient, obscure funk, without the messy waiting-around-for-30-years that the real thing requires.

More by Chris Handyside

Since its founding in 2007 by Steve Nawara, Beehive has digitally released a consistent — and consistently eclectic — selection of sounds, a bona fide representation of Detroit’s fertile music scene, from funk to noisy-electro, country and folk to space rock. And it’s all available for download on a pay-as-you-choose basis.

In an era when the bloated infrastructure of the music industry as we have known it for the last 50 years is imploding, it's refreshing to see a back-to-basics approach succeed, as in the case of the Ann Arbor multimedia company.

There's a definite shift taking place in Detroit. Women with intelligence in music is nothing new, but the fact that they're banding together, tired of all the institutional bullshit and mainstream-encouraged hyper-sexualization — that is a wonderful thing, and it's happening in Detroit now.

Here in Detroit, we’re blessed with countless great artists spanning all genres. When you include visiting bands, touring festivals and our renowned performing venues, the verdict is indisputable: Motown is one of music’s critical hubs.
So when the Music Issue rolls around, the question isn’t what to include but what not to. We think you’ll like what we did:
• None More Black: Isenblast
• Jimmy Ohio & the Ultimate Lovers
• Keeping the Demons at Bay: Sleigh Bells
• MT Staff’s “First and Best” Concerts

Michael Jackman interviews Keith Morris on the eve of his appearance with Flag at the Orion Music + More festival on Belle Isle. Morris discusses why he left Black Flag, his time with the Circle Jerks and what he has been up to now, as a middle-aged man.